Rice rolls to easy 33-14 win over Air Force in Armed Forces Bowl

FORT WORTH – Things looked bleak for the Rice Owls in the second quarter Saturday.
The Owls had committed a pair of costly turnovers and starting quarterback Taylor McHargue was knocked out of the game with a head injury.

Enter backup Driphus Jackson.

Jackson engineered five second-half scoring drives to lead the Owls to a 33-14 victory over Air Force in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The Owls won their final five games of the season to finish 7-6, the program’s first winning season since 2008.

Jackson completed 15-of-21 passes – including six in a row on the Owls’ go-ahead touchdown drive late in the third quarter – for 264 yards and two touchdowns.

Jordan Taylor had nine receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns.

McHargue was forced out of the game after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Steffon Batts with 5:08 remaining in the first half.

Down 14-7, the Owls took control in the second half behind Jackson’s pinpoint passing and a stingy defense that held the Falcons to no points and 58 total yards.

Jackson completed 10-of-12 passes for 154 yards in the third quarter, including a 22-yard touchdown to Taylor that tied the game at 14. Before Saturday, Jackson’s most extensive playing time for Jackson was Sept. 29 against Houston when McHargue suffered a shoulder injury the previous week.

On the Owls’ go-ahead touchdown late in the quarter, Jackson found Sam McGuffie for a 28-yard completion, setting up Ross’ 2-yard touchdown.

Chris Boswell added field goals of 24 and 25 yards to finish the season with a school record 23.

Air Force, which entered the game with the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense, was held to 166 yards, 162 below its season average.

RE: Bart-1
Well, it wasn’t the Horns, darn it!
Hope TCU pulls through tonight, though. (My wife is a ‘Toad’.)
That would just leave the Aggies, unless you count the University of Texas at Norman. (Check their player roster. )

The Owls did a great job on this game. Congradulations!!! As one of the major universities in the city of HOUSTON, I hope Rice football keeps winning and draws more fans and alumni. Rice and UH should make a huge wave on football. We need to remeber that Houston is our backyard. We need to show TU and aTm whose house Houston is. Go Owls and Go Coogs!